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Beady Eye Perform at Olympic Closing Ceremony

As many readers may know, Oasis mean more to me than any other band. Period. They’re my Beatles, or whatever (not to say they’re better than the Beatles). Beady Eye performed at the Olympics Closing Ceremony tonight. They did the biggest Oasis hit internationally, 1995’s Wonderwall. It seemed to ignite a firestorm, among Oasis fans and others. Not only did I not have a problem with it, I was happy. Here’s why. (Note: if you come here for sports media, you may just want to skip this one. Just needed to get it off me.)

One thing that really bugs me is the use of “cover band” or “Liam’s new band”. NBC went as far as to call them The Bootleg Beatles, except for Oasis. I grew up with the last line-up of Oasis. All the big songs that I remember coming out (Stop Crying Your Heart Out, Lyla, Shock of the Lightning) featured the line-up of Liam, Noel, Gem Archer and Andy Bell. This was the line-up from 2001 through the break-up of Oasis in 2009. Drummer Chris Sharrock joined them for their last world tour. As much as I liked the originals with Bonehead, Guigsy and Alan White, this was the lineup I grew up with.

Archer and Bell (as well as Liam, obviously) performed Wonderwall, Morning Glory and Rock n Roll Star live most every night for ten years together. If they choose to do the same with Beady Eye, it doesn’t make them a cover band. Despite the fact that Noel wrote them (and is receiving royalties on them), this is the exact same line-up that played them for ten years. Only difference is movement on instruments (Archer to lead/acoustic guitar, Bell to rhythm guitar and a new bassist) and the lack of Noel, who isn’t exactly a great guitarist in his own right.

Also important to remember, Noel left Oasis. Therefore, in my mind at least, Beady Eye is the continuation of Oasis. Nobody would be complaining if Noel showed up and did his current (boring, in my opinion) version of Wonderwall. Noel turned the opportunity down.

Let’s be honest, if Noel was there Liam wouldn’t have sang the song any better. So, there is no way anyone can say the performance would have been better if it was Oasis. Anyone can play it on guitar, especially Gem and Andy.

Anyway, I’ve had enough of everyone slagging off on members of my favourite band. Were Liam’s vocals 1996-esque. No? But we’ll never see that again. An Oasis reunion won’t revive his vocals. But, he was a lot better than Jesse J.

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20 thoughts on “Beady Eye Perform at Olympic Closing Ceremony”

I thought they sounded pretty good and were a good choice, too (although it’d have been cool if Blur or Jarvis Cocker showed up). Not having Noel there didn’t ruin the experience or anything. And it certainly was better than seeing more Russell Brand and the suddenly-old Fatboy Slim.

The big surprise: Jessie J messed with the only thing she had going for her: that Pandora’s Box-esque black bob haircut. I didn’t even recognize her

Blur were doing their own full gig at Hyde Park. I really hoped they’d show live video of at least one of their songs (Park Life, anyone?). Only thing I could think when Brand was doing I Am the Walrus was that Liam’s backstage and could certainly sing it better. I hadn’t seen Fatboy Slim in 10 years.

I was really disappointed the Rolling Stones didn’t perform. You’d think 2012 being your 50th year as a band, and one of the biggest rock acts in history, you would perform in the Olympics in your home country.

I can sense a little anger against Noel in your text… I love Oasis, and even though it felt really great to hear such a profound song, it was really broken hearting not to see them both on stage.

“(…) Noel, who isn’t exactly a great guitarist in his own right.” Really? Such wonderful and melodic solos he does :)

“Let’s be honest, if Noel was there Liam wouldn’t have sang the song any better. So, there is no way anyone can say the performance would have been better if it was Oasis.” Gotta agree with the first part, but I bet you noticed the absence of Noel’s back vocals (which, in my opinion, is one of the Oasis signature), or was it only me?

Nah, I love Noel too. Just hate that everyone else seems to use Noel as a reason to slag on Liam. Much prefer how Liam does Wonderwall now though. Loved how Noel did it in the 90s. My biggest problem with Noel is his obsession with semi-acoustic. It’s nice once in a while, but doesn’t really seem to fit in at rock festivals. When he does Little By Little or DLBIA, it’s great.

Noel’s a good guitarist. I prefer Gem personally. There’s a reason why Noel seemed to let Gem do many of the main guitar bits in the later Oasis years.

Noel’s backing vocals are missed on Morning Glory, no doubt. Would be on Live Forever or Slide Away as well. I don’t find so much on Wonderwall.

If Noel left Oasis what did they feel compelled to sing a Noel penned song under their new band name. The simple fact is they performed a simple song terribly to promote an ailing career using the brighter stars talent. Retire.

I’m probably as big of an Oasis fan as you are, and I didn’t like it. I guess it would be like if the Who had played Baba O’Riley without Pete Townshend. Beady Eye may have three (or four) members from the last Oasis lineup, but the only one who was in the band when Wonderwall was recorded is Liam. And his live singing voice is embarrassing to me now, as an Oasis fan. Nowhere near his peak of 1996-1997. I would have rather heard Richard Ashcroft sing it.

Beady Eye are a good band in their own right, and if they want to play Oasis songs, they’ve written quite a few great ones themselves (Songbird, A Bell Will Ring, Soldier On, Keep The Dream Alive, etc.).

I guess my point, kind of, is nobody is complaining that one member of Pink Floyd (Nick Mason) did Wish You Were Here with others not at all connected to the band (and it was great). I would have preferred they did a Beatles song to be honest. I Am the Walrus or Across the Universe would’ve been great.

What I don’t get is, why don’t Beady Eye do songs they wrote for Oasis. Songbid was a top 5 single, easily Liam’s most successful song. I like quite a few Andy wrote for Oasis as well.